


Echoes of Existence

by Raven1869



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:00:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24853480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven1869/pseuds/Raven1869
Summary: Life had never been easy. Growing up in the Underground ensured that. But you learned to live with it, become accustomed to it, embrace it. She was used to the uncertainty, the violence. She was used to doing what needed to be done in order to survive. Whatever the price. And everyone, had a price.But something changed. And for the first time in a long time, she found herself in uncharted territory.She had seen all this before.And she refused to be broken again.
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING! 
> 
> THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SCENES OF VIOLENCE, ABUSE AND MORE. 
> 
> READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

_CHAPTERS WRITTEN IN THIS STYLE (ITALICS) ARE PAST EVENTS._

CHAPTERS WRITTEN IN NORMAL TEXT ARE CURRENT EVENTS. ALTERNATING POINTS OF VIEW.

**Echo - a close parallel to an idea, feeling, or event.**

**Existence - continued survival.**

**Chapter 1.**

_She ran through the dark streets as fast as she could, her small, tired legs threatening to give out at any second. Burning from exertion. Her bare feet slapped the wet and hard gravel, tiny stones cutting at her skin. Yet still she ran. She had to run, she couldn’t stop. Her eyes darted around the streets, trying desperately to find somewhere to go. But where could she go? She had nowhere._

_She regretted coming out so early, while there was still a bit of light. It was always dark here, but some times were darker than others. She knew it would be foolish to walk the streets at this time, where people could see her, where hiding was more difficult, but she was also terrified of the dark. The streets looked different in the pitch black of the night, when most of the lights had gone out, and they became more dangerous. But with fear gripping her heart, she doubted whether this was any better._

_She zoomed to her right, heading down a darkened alleyway and paused, trying desperately to catch her breath as she looked for somewhere to hide. Her tiny fingers gripping the small crusty bun held tightly to her chest. There wasn’t much down here, but she would have to do something. They were gaining on her, and if they caught her, she would no doubt be punished for her crimes._

_The sound of heavy boots thumping against stone kicked her back into gear and she ran towards a large metal bin, several broken wooden pallets and broken cardboard boxes to the side. She slipped into the small gap between them, her lithe body squeezing into the tiny space. She crouched down, pulling her knees up to her forehead and curled herself up as tightly as possible, hoping that she would disappear. The broken wood scratched sharply at her back, catching on her thin and filthy dress and making her hiss, but she pushed through the pain._

_Footsteps grew louder and she tensed, her body automatically seizing up, preparing itself for the upcoming attack, where she would be dragged out of hiding by her hair and probably beaten for her theft. But it never came. The smacks peaked and then slowly began to fade , signalling that the men who were chasing her had passed. She forced herself to be brave, raising her head and watched as the men flew out of the alleyway, turning right and continuing their search for her._

_Her heart began to resume it’s normal rhythm as she slipped out of hiding, finally getting to her feet, arms and legs shaking from a mix of fear and exhaustion. She turned, about to head back out the other end of the alley when her tiny body collided with something firm and warm, making her stumble back and fall to the ground._

_Her eyes looked up, a woman with black flowing hair stood before her, carrying a brown bag of shopping. The dim lights from the street behind her barely reaching the alley and blackening out her features. Instantly, the girl tried to escape, trying several times to get to her feet, only for her legs to betray her, giving out underneath her._

_She was vaguely aware of the woman crouching down, holding up a hand in surrender and murmuring ‘hey, hey' trying to convince her that everything was okay, that she wasn’t going to hurt her. The girl gave up, instead cowering, pulling her knees up to her chin again and resting her face on them._

_The wet floor beneath her felt disgusting against her skin, the small sharp rocks digging painfully into the backs of her thighs and soles of her feet. She shifted uncomfortably on the spot, wincing as the movement just caused more pain._

_The woman knelt down, taking in the sight of the girl in front of her. Her long hair was matted and caked in filth, as was the rest of her. Dirt smeared her face, her lips chapped and sore, tiny grubby fingers gripping her equally dirty and grazed knees. The dress she wore ended just above her knees and was obviously too small for her. Her thin, plain dress stained with various substances, food, blood, dirt and was torn in several places. She wore no shoes, one foot pressing tightly against the other. She was scrawny, quite underweight and the woman wondered who was looking after her. Her eyes lowered to the small stale bun, that was lying in a muddy puddle at her feet._

_Her malnourished body trembled from fear as she heard a small rustling, eyes lifting to locate the source of the sound and she watched as the woman pulled out another bun and extended her hand._

_“Here, take this.” She offered gently. Her voice was soft, soothing, kind. Everything about this woman looked soft. Her warm eyes, silky hair, her smile. The girl hesitated for a moment. She had been warned about taking things from people, especially when they could see you. But she was starving. She looked at the stale piece of bread that was slowly turning to mush in the brown water and grimaced, glancing back at the woman. There was no competition really._

_Slowly she reached out with both hands, fingers trembling as she took the bread from the woman, eyes shining with confusion at the kind gesture. The woman smiled kindly. She felt sorry for this girl. She was so small, so scared, so young, and she was out here alone on these dangerous streets filled with crime, with nobody here to protect her._

_“My name is Kuchel.”_

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Levi stalked the corridors of the base, heading towards Erwin’s office. He had been summoned, the commander asking to speak with him in private after dinner. Levi had no idea what it was about, probably regarding a new expedition, or a catch up about the new batch of recruits that had come in last week. It didn’t matter either way really.

He knocked on the door and waited patiently. Erwin’s voice sounded from the other side, granting him permission to enter and he opened the door, stepping through and closing it behind him. His eyes fell on the blond man, who was sat at his desk holding a sheet of paper. He looked tired and slightly on edge, almost nervous. Levi’s brows twitched but he didn’t pass comment as he took the seat opposite the commander, crossing one leg across his knee and relaxing in the big comfortable armchair.

“You wanted to see me Erwin?” he asked, his steely silvers piercing into the other mans baby blues. Erwin looked down at the sheet of paper, nodding his head.

“I did.” He confirmed, the tone in his voice surprising Levi. He sounded distressed, mournful even. The atmosphere grew tense, Erwin appearing to be hesitating to engage in conversation with the captain. Levi was surprised. The commander was a confident and powerful man, whatever it was that he wanted to discuss, was clearly not something as simple as a mission or an update on the status of the new recruits. This was serious. Erwin’s face tightened, his usual calm demeanour seeping back in so that he resembled the man Levi knew again. He lifted his head, meeting the intense stare being directed at him head on.

“I have a request for you Levi, I require your assistance.” Levi didn’t react, just continued to stare at him. Erwin should really know by now that whatever he needs Levi to do, he will do it, often without question. There was no need for him to beat around the bush like this.

“Well spit it out then.” Levi deadpanned, clearly becoming impatient with the stretched out silence. Erwin ignored the quip, placing the sheet of paper down on his desk with care.

“I need you to accompany me on a visit.” Levi scoffed, shaking his head in amusement.

“Is that all? The way you were acting I thought it was something serious.”

“It is serious Levi.” Another silence formed between the two of them, Levi looking back at the commander, noting his incredibly firm expression. Levi didn’t understand, what was wrong with him? Levi let out a small sigh but before he could speak, Erwin cut him off.

“I need you to accompany me to the Underground.” Levi froze, his expression changing almost instantly, eyes widening in surprise before narrowing in disdain. The Underground? Why on earth would Erwin need to go there? As far as Levi was aware, he hadn’t ventured there since their first encounter. Why now? What for?

Erwin could see the cogs turning in Levi’s head, could see the confusion and distaste written all over his face. He knew asking Levi to go back there would be risky. Asking him to go back to the filth he grew up in, walk the streets, relive the memories, remember the day he was ripped from the only place he had ever called home. His friends. He knew it would not thrill the man, and he also knew he would have questions. Erwin sighed, this was it.

“For a while now, I have been connecting with someone who lives there. I have never met them, and their identity has always been unknown. However, the most recent letter I sent to them, seems to have piqued their interest, and they are agreeing to meet me.” Now Levi was even more confused. Erwin’s statement had only created more questions in his head. He frowned, rubbing his forehead.

“Wait... ‘connecting’? What do you mean?” Erwin pressed his lips together anxiously, drumming his fingers on the desk and looking at the sheets of paper. Levi’s gaze hardened as he slowly shook his head. The commander looked guilty of something,

“Erwin, what have you done?” he asked, his tone accusing. He could tell by the hulking mans behaviour that Erwin was withholding information. This was not the entire story.

“Will you accompany me Levi? It would be beneficial to have you by my side in this. Not only are you familiar with the surroundings, but you would prove more useful than others should we find ourselves in a difficult situation.” Levi noticed how carefully he chose his words, basically telling him that he needed a tour guide and a body guard. His eyes narrowed again as he tilted his head back, resting his head against the back of the chair and staring at the ceiling. His mind whirring with thoughts.

He by no means wanted to go back to that hellhole. He had no idea why they were going, who they were going to meet, what the commander had been plotting behind closed doors. He knew nothing. It unsettled him greatly. Was he planning to capture another recruit? Who was this person? So many questions ran through his mind, along with so many memories that he had buried. Thoughts of his life before he became humanities strongest soldier, before he had gained respect and privilege. He closed his eyes, sighing as he contemplated the commanders request.

He knew it made sense. Though he did not understand Erwin’s reasons or motivation for any of this, he understood why he had asked him to go. He was confident enough in his abilities to know that should they encounter any trouble, getting out would be a certainty. Maybe not totally unharmed, but at least alive. Visions of Farlan and Isabel flashed through his mind, a thousand memories the trio had created. It felt like an eternity had passed since those times. So much had changed.

“I must tell you, before you make your decision. We will be disarmed at the entrance. According to the letter, ‘someone will be waiting’, to ensure we have no weapons and escort us to the location.” Levi scoffed again, his attention fixed back on Erwin.

“We are going to meet a total stranger in a place that is crawling with crime without any weapons? Do you even hear how utterly ridiculous that sounds? The whole thing just screams ‘trap'.” Erwin gave a very slight shrug, picking up the paper and appearing to reread it again.

“Those are the conditions. I am permitted to bring one associate, and we will be disarmed at the entrance and escorted to the location.” Levi shook his head in disbelief.

“And you agreed?” Erwin placed the paper down, looking back at Levi with a nonchalant expression.

“I haven’t agreed to anything yet. It does not require a response, I either turn up in two days time at noon and follow the instructions, or I don’t.” Levi rubbed his forehead again, he couldn’t believe the commander was even contemplating this. And for what?

“I need you to trust me on this, Levi. I know I haven’t given you much to go on, and believe me, I understand your concerns. But I wouldn’t suggest it, if I didn’t think it was worth it.” Levi’s jaw twisted from side to side in thought as he stared intently at his hand that was resting on the arm of the chair, picking at a stray piece of cotton that was only mildly irritating him compared to the situation he had found himself in. He nodded softly.

“Alright. I’ll go with you.” He finally responded. He was by no means happy with this, in fact he could think of several unpleasant things he would rather do, but Erwin had asked him. There must be a reason to this. Erwin gave a small nod in acknowledgement.

“Very well, we leave in two days at ten. Thank you, Levi.” Levi shook his head, briefly questioning his own sanity, wondering about how stupid he must be to agree to this.

“You do know that this is suicide though, right?” Levi asked raising a hand in mild exasperation. Erwin smiled reassuringly, though it did nothing to reassure the raven haired man in front of him.

“The possibility has crossed my mind, yes.” Levi clicked his tongue, getting to his feet and releasing another loud sigh.

“Alright then, as long as we’re on the same page.” He turned, ready to leave the commanders office.

“Levi... I assume that I don’t need to tell you that this, stays between us?” Levi nodded his affirmative. Erwin’s request to keep quiet was hardly surprising. It didn’t look good that the head of the scouting legion was taking trips to the Underground, if word got out, it would only cause questions and rouse suspicion. Levi left without another word. His mind still reeling from their brief conversation.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

She stood on the rooftop of a building, overlooking the city below her, her hair swaying only slightly in the soft humid breeze that flowed through the ducts in the walls. It was always so warm here, muggy, the air thick and stale, polluted, tainted with the smell of death and disease. But she was used to it, it was all she had ever known.

Her eyes scanned the streets below, waiting patiently. She would stay here hours, days even, if she had to. She was on the hunt, looking for one man in particular. It wouldn’t take long now. Soon. Soon he would arrive, and then the real fun would begin.

She enjoyed the view from up here. Soft yellow glows scattered throughout the city, illuminating the streets and buildings. A sea of yellow and black, light and dark for as far as the eye could see. It seemed to be never ending. Thick, twisted roots dotted around the city, seeming to hold up the roof above, supporting the city above her head. Another city. A city full of privilege, full of wonder and hope. Full of fresh air. It angered her greatly. Her eyes narrowed, forcing the unwelcome thoughts from her head. Now was not the time. She had a job to do.

A scuffle to her left caught her attention, forcing her from position. She boldly looked down into the alley from where the noise had came, her eyes fixing on two men who were brutally attacking another much smaller man. He was massively outmatched, both in numbers and in strength and put up little resistance against the two much more skilled muggers. Still, they hit him. Repeatedly punching him until he fell to the floor and then proceeded to kick him. She could help him. But that was not an option, she had her own problems, her own job to do, and helping this man was not part of the plan.

So she watched as the two men took what little treasures they could find and ran, leaving the man a spluttering almost sobbing mess on the ground. She turned, resuming her previous position on the next ledge. Only the strong survive down here. It was a sad fact, but true, and she had found that out the hard way throughout her life. There were no saviours, there were no protectors, no knights in shining armour to rescue you when you were down and beat. There was only you. And if you weren’t strong enough to fix yourself, to pull yourself together and fight when it mattered, then you were as good as dead.

She continued to wait, focus only sharpening with every passing moment. Three men approached the bar opposite her, laughing and joking, shoving each other jovially. Her eyes twitched, narrowing slightly. One of the men had shoulder length dark hair, around six foot tall. As he turned to talk to one of his friends, she recognised the face from the picture she had been given just two days before.

_Carl Benson._

Her lips twitched into a small smirk as she made her way to the entrance of the rooftop, pushing the door open and made her way down the metal stairwell. Sounds from the kitchen at the bottom of the stairs filled the empty space around her, clattering of pans, men barking orders. It was busy tonight. She reached the bottom of the stairs and pushed the back door to her left open, making her exit and crossed the street to the bar opposite the restaurant. Nobody ever even knew she was there.

The bar was stuffy. The air even more stifling than what it had been outside, only this time full to the brim with the smell of tobacco smoke, alcohol and damp wood. But it didn’t matter. The room was big and dimly lit, scattered candles and tinted glass creating different glows around the room. Music played as girls danced on a stage, swinging around a metal pole or crawling across the stage, flashing as much as they could to entice the guests. She paid no mind, she was only here for Carl.

The bar was to her left, the stage right in front and to her right, a small flight of stairs that led to an open plan standing area where a few people would watch the show from above. Another flight of stairs on the opposite side close to the stage, giving the spectators multiple access points. In the far right corner, was a back door, a clear ‘No Entry’ sign plastered on the door.

She took in her surroundings with care for a moment. A man leaving a door to the left on the other side of the room alerted her to where the toilets were, another door where a woman came out carrying tankards showed where the back area of the bar was. Two exit points, one on each side of the large room. There were no windows, which was to be expected for this sort of establishment. She headed to the bar and sat down, eyes darting around the room, trying to locate her target. It didn’t take long.

The man approached the bar, signalling the barman and holding up three fingers as he reached into his trousers to pull out the money. She sat quietly, facing out towards room, back resting against the bar as she quietly observed the man, a soft expression on her face.

He had greasy hair, and big sunken black eyes. His nose was large, too large for his slim and chiselled face, lips cracked and dry. Carl glanced at her and she gave a small smile.

“Hi.” Her voice was suggestive, attracting his attention immediately as his eyes dragged over the woman in front of him. He grinned, showing his crooked, stained teeth, eyes twinkling in excitement. She had him.

“Hi. Can I get you a drink?” her smile widened.

“Double whiskey on the rocks.” She replied easily, as though she had been expecting that question all along. Carl smiled, looking at the server and reiterating her order to him. He leaned against the bar casually, taking a sip from his beer. She shifted her position, turning to face him, one arm wrapped around her body under her coat, discreetly taking her gun from its holster and aiming it straight at the man under her long and flowing coat, finger on the trigger, ready to finish him at any moment. Her other hand rested on her knee casually. She was leaning into his space, a clear sign of interest and smiling. She could tell that poor Carl thought he had hit the jackpot. He was absolutely clueless about the extreme danger he was in.

The barman handed him the drinks and Carl slid the whiskey over to her. She didn’t thank him, only smiled coyly. Her eyes quickly looked around again. The bar was pretty quiet, all things considered. Nobody was waiting to be served and the barman was filling out some paperwork at the other end of the bar. It was just her and Carl here, and around thirty others who were sitting at tables or perched in the standing area.

“So... are you here looking for a job?” Carl asked, chuckling as he turned to face her again. Her face instantly fell, a hard, serious expression crossing her features.

“You are the job.” And she pulled the trigger. There was no loud explosion, just a small noise, the silencer on her gun doing it’s job perfectly.

Carl fell back, hitting the ground as the bullet tore through his body and plummeted straight into his heart. The woman replaced her weapon, quickly taking the whiskey and knocking it back before she stood and started to walk away. The great thing about bars, was that alcohol slowed everybody’s reactions, numbed their senses a little. But Carl was also wearing a thick jacket. People were stupid, thinking he was just drunk and had passed out, so she was able to make it to the door without concern.

It wasn’t until she reached the door, and was already back out in the slightly cooler air of the streets, that she finally heard the screaming from inside.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

_Kuchel had taken the girl back to her room and tried in vain to get her to stay the night, offering her a glass of water as the tiny creature sat nervously at the table, fidgeting uncomfortably. She was worried about her, it was obvious to her that she needed help. But the girl was stubborn, adamant that she was fine, that she had a man looking after her back home. Kuchel had her doubts. If she had a father, why was she in such a state? She understood that life in the underground was rough, times were always hard. But at least a bath, or a pair of shoes shouldn’t be out of the question._

  
_“Where is your father?” Kuchel had asked, sitting at a chair opposite the small child, fingers intertwining in curiosity. The girl placed the now empty cup on the table._

  
_“He’s not my father. But I live with him. He is out at work.” Kuchel nodded, understanding that a lot of parents often left their children unattended at home while they were out at work. Childcare was never really an option. Those who could afford it, could probably afford citizenship._

  
_“What’s you’re name?” she asked, a smile lighting up her face as she tried to get more information out of the little girl._

  
_The girl was hesitant, but there was just something about this woman that made her relax, though only slightly. Maybe it was the kindness that shone in her eyes, the genuine expressions of her face. Maybe it was the fact that she had actually just been nice to her. But whatever it was, she felt like she could trust this woman. This total stranger who came out of nowhere._

  
_“Illyria.” Kuchel’s smile grew, happy that she had managed to gain the girls trust, if only a little bit._

  
_“That’s a very pretty name. How old are you Illyria?” she asked, leaning on the table as her palm supported her chin, taking an interest in the girl. Illyria had gave a small shrug._

  
_“I’m five.” Kuchel blinked, startled. She really was so young. She had expected Illyria to be older, though her tiny body barely looked like she was even that old. The dress, though small for her, almost hung off her, several small rips in the thin and filthy fabric revealing equally grimy skin underneath._

  
_Illyria had tucked into the bun Kuchel had given her, answering a few questions here and there and ignoring others. She also ignored Kuchel’s offers for her to stay the night. She had to get back home. It was getting late, he would be home soon, and no doubt he would be furious if he knew she was out, especially at this time of the night._

  
_Illyria slid from her seat, about to make her leave and Kuchel stood, her ebony hair falling over her shoulders, her plain white dress swaying slightly with her movements. She was cautious around Illyria, not wanting to frighten her. She seemed so fragile, so delicate._

  
_“I should be heading home now... thank you for the bread.” Kuchel, looked reluctant to let her go, but Illyria shuffled towards the front door anyway, a clear hint that she would go regardless of what Kuchel thought. She couldn’t stay, she knew she couldn’t. Kuchel finally resigned, her hand reaching out to open the door for the tiny girl. At least she had had something to eat and drink, even if it was only something small. That in itself was a victory as far as she was concerned. She obviously couldn’t force the girl to stay against her will, yet she wished she would at least wait until morning._

  
_Just before Kuchel opened the door to her room to let her leave, a loud thud sounded throughout the small house, causing Illyria to jump, eyes darting around frantically to locate the source of the sound._

  
_“What was that?” she gasped, clearly frightened. Kuchel shushed her gently, reaching out to stroke the brittle and tangled strands of hair in front of her._

  
_“It’s alright Illyria, that’s just my son, no need to worry.” Illyria’s brows furrowed slightly in distrust but Kuchel only smiled, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she untangled her fingers from Illyria’s grimy hair._

  
_“He’s just in his room. He’s about your age actually, a little bit older. You should come round and visit him sometime, I’m sure you’d make great friends.” Illyria’s eyes widened slightly, looking almost hopefully at the older woman._

  
_“Really? I can come and visit?” it warmed Kuchel’s heart to see her so excited. So happy for even a brief moment. She must be so lonely. She knelt down, holding Illyria’s tiny hand in hers._

  
_“You can come and visit anytime you like. As long as it’s not too late at night. You’re always welcome here.” She whispered softly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ears. Illyria felt her lips twitch into a smile. She was excited. She had never had a friend before. Someone to play with. The closest she had ever got to having a friend was this woman kneeling before her. She wondered what he was like, what he liked to do._

  
_“What’s his name?” she asked, her eyes locking onto a door on the other side of the room to her left where the sound had seemingly come from._

  
_“His name is Levi.”_

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Levi descended the staircase that led to the underground with Erwin and their guide leading the way. He felt uneasy about the whole scenario. Everything about this just screamed danger to him. He still couldn’t get his head around it all, still hadn’t been able to figure out what Erwin was planning. The commander hadn’t even mentioned it to him again until that morning, confirming details of their departure. 

  
The further down the stairs he went, the more on guard he became, finally reaching the bottom and passing through the gates that guarded the stairs to the surface. Breathing in the dense, rancid air made his jaw clench, stomach twisting uncomfortably as he fought to stop himself from heaving. It was humid, the smell of death and metal ever present. He could hardly stand it now, despite spending so many years living here. It served as a sharp reminder of just how fortunate he really was, to just be able to breathe easy, to be able to feel the sun beating on his back and the rain hitting his skin. So many here would never get to experience that, would never know what fresh air felt like, what it smelt like, what it tasted like. 

  
Nostalgia flooded his senses as his eyes took in the city, adjusting almost on instinct to the poor lighting, as though he hadn’t spent the last six years on the surface. It pained him to see that nothing had changed. Not a single thing. The air was still the same, the people were still poor, judging by their clothes and the state of some of them. Children were still on the streets, fighting over scraps of bread, merchants were still trading at an exorbitant rate. People were poor here, and if you weren’t a criminal, you were a trader, and traders had families to support, which meant their prices were high. Higher than most could afford. 

  
He took a deep breath, trying to pull himself from his thoughts, the muggy air almost burning his lungs. Now was not the time to reminisce. He followed Erwin silently, taking in his surroundings. Memories of years gone by flooding his thoughts. Times that he wished he could remember forever, and forget at the same time. Feelings of longing and regret, happy memories tainted with blood. He shouldn’t have come here. 

  
It felt like they had been walking forever, Levi couldn’t even recognise where they were anymore, unsure of whether he had ever even been to this part of the city. Maybe he wouldn’t be as useful as Erwin predicted.

  
The sights that fell before him were difficult at best. He saw an MP beating the hell out of a young man, his daughter screaming in horror as she watched, completely helpless to do anything. Down an alley, another man was handing something to a woman who wore very little. A small child ran up to Erwin, looking up at him with pleading eyes, clinging to him, begging for a slice of bread. The guide had grabbed her, shoving her to the floor with no remorse and they had continued. It was a cesspit, full of the scum of the earth, dangerous men with no moral compass, who would sell their own mother to get what they wanted. 

  
To get by here, you had to be strong. You had to be willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Levi tried to block out everything around him, focusing his gaze on Erwin as the commander followed the guide. He seemed so confident, so unaffected by everything going on down here. Levi wished for a moment he could have that resolve. 

  
“How much further?” the commander suddenly spoke up, ripping Levi out of his thoughts. The man chortled. 

  
“Eager are we? Not much longer now commander.” The obtuse man continued to lead the way. 

  
They weaved through the city until they reached a small shack, which looked on the verge of collapsing. It was isolated, sitting a distance away from other homes in the area. The man pushed open the door and escorted them inside. 

  
The shack was certainly deceiving, the large room held at least six men, scattered around, talking and engaging in card games. Every single one of them went silent upon seeing the commander and Levi, fixing them with hard stares. A door on the right side of the wall and one opposite, leading on to other rooms. There was a staircase and a small corridor above, where two other men stood outside guarding a door. A large table with chairs and a sofa on the lower level where they had entered. But aside from that, the room was pretty empty, the smell of smoke, dust and wood lingering in the air. 

  
“Where’s the boss?” The guide asked, causing several of the men to point to the door on the landing above them. The man gave a small nod and promptly began ascending the stairs, nodding for Erwin and Levi to follow. The wood created under their weight, the eyes from below not leaving them for even a second. 

  
Levi felt agitated. His mind full of questions. Who was this person? What was the commander talking to them about? How long had it all been going on for? But he was also on guard. He felt like he had willingly walked into the lions den. There were at least ten people in this building, the six downstairs, two on the door, the guide, and the ‘boss’. They were in their territory, deep in the underground, with no weapons. God knows how many others were in that room, or in the rooms below. And he wasn’t confident that he knew where the closest stairway leading back to the surface was. This was a sticky situation at best. 

  
“Can’t go in there yet, Glen. There’s an interrogation.” One of the guards held up his hand, holding the guide, Glen apparently, back. Glen snickered, knocking the other man’s hand away.

  
“You do your job and let me do mine.” He spat, knocking on the door without fear. 

  
“Boss... some visitors here for you.” And with that he opened the door, stepping aside and waving for the two superiors to enter. Erwin gave Levi a small nod and they both started forward. The room, was smaller than the one downstairs, but much cleaner. A small table and several chairs occupied the room, along with an armoire and two large wooden ottomans. One of the chairs, had a man sitting in it, his hands bound behind his back. He was sweating profusely, his large eyes looking at the commander, silently begging him to help. Blood trickled down his temple and his lip was cut, his shirt being fisted aggressively by the figure in front of him in a threatening manner. 

  
To Levi’s utmost surprise, a woman stood in front of him. 

  
Her long dark auburn hair fell over her shoulders, one foot on the edge of the chair right between the mans legs as her hand clenched his shirt. Levi felt his eyes narrow slightly at the sight as he took in the woman before him. Her expression was cold, face void of all emotion as she looked over the both of them. He couldn’t make out much about her from his distance, but judging from the pained and terrified expression on her victims face, she didn’t seem to be kidding around. 

  
“Ah. Commander. You’re early.” She stated, her voice laced with mild surprise. Levi stole a glance at his commander, noting the slight smirk on his face. 

  
“I do apologise. Should we wait outside?” the woman released the man in front of her, removing her boot from the chair and looked back at him. 

  
“No. This won’t take long. But please, shut the door.” Erwin gave a small nod, reaching behind him and clicking the door closed as per her request. The woman leaned closer to the man, bending in a way so that they were eye level, her face close to his, resting her hands on her knees.

  
“Now... I have other matters to deal with right now, and you have taken up quite enough of my time. So... this is your last chance before I get really nasty.” Her voice was quiet but intimidating, threatening. Levi saw the mans lip quiver, his breathing become rapid from fear. Was this woman really that dangerous? Was this really the ‘boss’? 

  
The woman tilted her head to the side, her voice becoming sweet. 

  
“Where is the list?” she smiled at the man, though it was forced, a poor attempt at feigning innocence. The man swallowed and shook his head. 

  
“I don’t know... I told you I... I don’t...” she reared back quickly, turning to the table to her right and snatching up a metal tankard before spinning back around and slamming it against the side of his head with such a force the chair he was sitting on almost toppled over. There was a resounding crack from the impact and she reached out with her other hand, grabbing the chair and forcing it back into position. 

  
The man was dazed, his head hanging, bobbing gently. The woman leaned down again, eyes furious.

  
“Has that jogged your memory!? Where. Is. The list!?” she bellowed, grabbing a fistful of the mans hair and snapping his neck back violently. He swayed, eyes unfocused from the blow. Still he stuttered, incoherent mutters falling from his lips. She cocked an eyebrow.

  
“No? Maybe you’ve been in this room too long? Maybe... you need a bit of air?” she threw the tankard across the room, walking behind the man and grabbing the back of his chair, dragging him across the room to a window. She flung it open with one hand, and moved, kicking the chair back so it was on two legs leaning back out the window, her hand gripping the edge of the seat, keeping it from toppling out completely. The man screamed, begging her to stop.

  
Erwin jumped, the look in his eyes telling Levi he wanted to intervene, but Be resisted, freezing on the spot as logic caught up to him. Levi glanced at him, eyes narrowing, a silent warning that he had better not interfere. Now was not the time, nor the place. His gaze returned to the woman and her captive.

  
“I’d stop wriggling so much if I were you Dan. Your blood on my hands is hindering my grip...” she mocked, pushing further back on the chair, her other hand grabbing the frame to keep them both from falling. 

  
Dan’s screams intensified as he continued to plead with her, telling her of his pregnant wife and child. But she was undeterred. 

  
“Where is the list!?” She all but screamed at him. There was a small pause, the only sounds to be heard were Dan's loud sobs and finally, she pulled him back in, dropping the chair back onto all of its legs and moved to his side, eyes fixed on his trousers. She reached into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper and scanned it. She smiled. 

  
“There now. That wasn’t so hard was it?” She jibed, pushing the back of his head aggressively while her other hand shoved the list into her back pocket. Her gaze fell to the door behind Levi. 

  
“Glen!” the door behind them opened, forcing the commander and Levi to move out the way to avoid getting hit. Glen stood in the doorway, eyes fixed on the woman in front of him.

  
“Boss?” he replied. The woman leaned casually against the desk, pulling out a small dagger and proceeded to focus on cleaning her nails with it. 

  
“Get this piece of shit out of here before he bleeds all over my floor. I suggest the hospital. Suspected concussion.” She droned, her boredom and total lack of empathy clearly present. Without further instruction, Glen entered the room, untying the man and pulling him out of the chair, escorting him out of the room and closing the door behind him. 

  
The woman looked up, eyes fixing on the commander, glare ever present. She lifted her head, looking him dead in the eyes, a small smile spreading on to her features. 

  
“Pleasure to finally meet you face to face, commander. My name is Illyria.” 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**


End file.
